31 March 2010

Listen to some amazing live tracks from Noel Gallagher's set at the Concerts for Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall, his first live performances since Oasis split. Featuring a choir and an orchestra, these tracks are pretty special.

Click here to listen to the tracks 'Whatever,' 'Wonderwall,' and an online exclusive 'Listen Up.'

The producers of the live-action film adaptation of Harold Sakuishi's Beck rock-and-roll manga announced at a Tuesday event in Tokyo that the American band Red Hot Chili Peppers and the British band Oasis will contribute the two theme songs of the film. Red Hot Chili Peppers will provide the opening theme song "Around the World," while Oasis will provide the ending theme song "Don't Look Back in Anger."

The film will open in Japan on September 4. Red Hot Chili Peppers had previously given their "Dani California" theme song for the live-action film adaptation of Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata's Death Note manga. Oasis provided the opening theme song "Falling Down" for Production I.G's Eden of The East television anime series.

The original manga ended in Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Magazine in 2008 in Japan, and 15 million copies of the 34 volumes have been published since it began in 1998. Whereas Koyuki was the protagonist of the original manga, the film will focus on Ryusuke. Tokyopop published the first 12 volumes in North America, and Funimation completed its release of 2004-2005's BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad anime version in 2008.

Noel Gallagher, shares his experiences in the music industry and his best music gig. Ian Brown joins in to talk about being part of the adidas Originals family, their interpretation of originality, and what adidas means to them .

You could read a lot into Noel Gallagher's choice to open his first solo show post-Oasis with "(It's Good) to Be Free". In a semi acoustic set for the Teenage Cancer Trust, the elder Gallagher brother, who was responsible for the majority of the band's song-writing, takes to his stool with less a swagger and more the quiet poise of a professional performer at his ease.

Discarding his rock-star leather jacket early on, in a casual shirt and jeans, the 42-year-old could not have looked more comfortably relaxed. It was apparent in his singing, too, softer and more tender tones than his brother's, and tonight often tinged with emotion, especially in "Half the World Away", which moved many a fan, as couples and thirtysomething male friends locked arms and swayed, wielding pints of beer as they sang along.

The opening song was not the only one to take on a more weighty meaning with the passage of time. The nostalgia of "Fade Away", which he played early on, seemed to strike a point deep within many of the crowd, as Gallagher sang "while we're living, the dreams we had as children fade away." In a stripped-down version of "Wonderwall", he seemed almost pensive in his laid-back, understated delivery.

"It's not rock'n'roll", he tells the crowd, smiling. Indeed, he's accompanied throughout by former Oasis member Gem Archer on lead guitar and Terry Kirkbride on minimal percussion, an all-female string orchestra – the Wired Strings – and the 50-strong Crouch End Choir. Not that for the most part you could hear the latter. With a backing choir of 5,200 people – the full capacity of the Royal Albert Hall – belting out the songs in a merry mass sing-a-long throughout the show, the choir was drowned out.

The strings section, however, made a wonderful addition, especially in their recreation of the unmistakable opening to "Whatever", and in the rapturously received final song of the night "Don't Look Back in Anger". Meanwhile, against Gallagher's gentle acoustic strumming, Archer's lead guitar parts shimmered.

Last week came the news that Gallagher is going to become a father for a third time, and tonight he is on his most reserved behaviour. By his very composure and mature, reserved performance, Noel seemed to – consciously or not – set himself apart from his brasher brother. But an evening with one of the Gallagher brothers – even the more sensible of the two – was never going to be complete without a bit of gentle crowd-baiting. In good humour Gallagher teased audience members, in particular the "Scousers" and "Geordies" in the crowd.

In a set heavy on B-sides, and with only one track from the latter part of their career, from the post-1990s, Gallagher chose not to perform any new material, joking, "No, we're not playing new songs. As brilliant as they are, now's not the right time or place." But with the best and most-loved Oasis songs from early on in their career, such as the brilliant "Slide Away", which tonight receives the most appreciative response, nobody could complain.

Two years ago Noel Gallagher played a similar solo acoustic set for the charity in the same venue. Back then, fans called out for his brother. Tonight, it's just Noel's name they chant. When he ends tonight's performance with the humble send-off: "It's been an absolute pleasure to play for you tonight", with a smile on his face as he strides towards the solo career ahead of him, he leaves 5,200 smiles behind.

29 March 2010

As Liam returns from New York as part of the Pretty Green US launch, readers of Q magazine have been voting for their favourite frontman in musical history and Liam has topped the poll. He told PG News ...

I'd just like to thank all those who voted for me in 'Q' for being the best frontman of all time, live forever, beware of darkness, see you soon LG...

Since arriving in America, Liam has entertained WXRP listeners as well as spoken to the New York Times Style Section and New York Post about the latest collection of Pretty Green garments and news of the Q magazine poll has just added to the good vibe of the America trip.

Noel Gallagher was on TalkSport - Sports Bar at 9.30pm instead of the scheduled 9.00pm as he had been watching Coronation Street which he had missed during the week as “I was out busy being brilliant.”

Here is some of the interview, as soon as it is on YouTube etc I will look it up.

Andy Goldstein said he had looked quite overwhelmed with the crowd response he had received at the gigs,

Noel: “Really? Eh, its kinda like you spend two weeks rehearsing it all and its all quite serene, and its like, I don’t know, very angelic and all that and then you get there and its just like a football match.”

Was there a part of you that was slightly nervous?

Noel: “None more than usual, Ive done that gig so many times with an acoustic guitar, but no, there wasn’t any... I know the way its been written up in the press is like it was gonna be the re-birth or something but it wasn’t, I didn’t figure it was. Those charity things are kind of a unique night out and you just play the songs that people wanna hear and hopefully everybody goes and has a good time, and there you go, you raise a bit of money and every ones a winner.”

Did you enjoy it as much as you did at Wembley? More so?

Noel: “No no, I enjoyed it equally as much, I enjoy all the gigs that I do, whether they be in stadiums or little clubs, they are all great or I wouldn’t do it.”

Do you think some of your songs sound better acoustically, and if so which ones?

Noel: “Wonderwall.”

Would you rather have released them in that manner?

Noel: “No, no, Wonderwall’s been released now, its done, when you go in the studio you just do the best that you can on that day, that's what records are, they're a record of where you were at at that point when you were in the studio, do you know what I mean? Songs evolve over the years, don’t they?, and you’ll find something in songs five years after they've come out that you didn’t realise was there in the first place, with kinda Wonderwall and stuff like that and its quite a nice surprise, I think, but its all good, all the records are good, I don’t mind.”

The jeans looked good, Noel, were you happy with them?

Noel: “They're actually really old jeans, they’re old school.”

Do you go to the gym at all, do you keep fit?

Noel: “Eh, I do keep fit, I have to go because Ive got a, Ive got a.... no, I don’t wanna tell you what Ive got cos Ill sound like an old man!”

Anything to do with what was in the papers the other day, when that idiot threw you off stage?

Noel: “No, no, no, no, no, I fell down the stairs when I was younger... I have to say it was party related and so I have to do bits and bobs for my little old back.”

You mentioned yesterday you had a bit of a hangover, how big was big Friday?

Noel: “It was terrific, Saturday was horrific but Friday night was a good night, yeah. “

What time did it finish?

Noel: “Eh, 4, half 4... well, Ive got kids and all that stuff so I had to get in for them, but I was alright cos Sara’s pregnant so she kinda came home early.”

Does your missus get a chance to drive the Jag or is that just your pride and joy?

Noel: “I had that made when I was out of it once and I was thinking by the time that's made Ill have easily passed the test and they delivered it a year later and I hadn’t even taken a lesson, and I forgot ordering it.”

Do you think you'll ever learn?

Noel: “No, I haven’t got that gene, I'm more interested in collecting guitars and sunglasses and kinda cars are not my thing, really.”

When you say collecting sunglasses, do you mean old ones from the ‘60s?

Noel: “No, no, any old nonsense will do me.”

Is the Rolls Royce anything to do with the Be Here Now album?

Noel: “No, its not that one, my record company bought it for me in ’96, just after the royalties from Morning Glory started coming in." "The five of us went into this room and they gave me a Rolls Royce and they gave the other four a watch each!”

How did you get away with that?

Noel: “Because I was more brilliant than any of the other....and they said, ‘but you lot can have a watch’, and I was, ‘hahahaha....oh dear, well it paid off in the end, didn’t it?, all those nights sitting up writing those tunes while you lot were having it in the bar.'”

Noel also spoke about football: why he believes Man City will qualify for the Champions League and “justice will be done” with West Ham being relegated, nights out with Gordon Smart: How he gave Smart the David Beckham aftershave he won at a pub quiz which he then drank!, how Sara is “great” and comments on the Dr Octagon sample made for him!

It is important for the judge hearing the case of assault causing bodily harm involving Daniel Sullivan, the man who viciously attacked the Oasis guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher during a Toronto concert in 2008, not to let the band's bad-boy reputation stand in the way of an appropriate sentence.

Drunkenness is an inadequate excuse for that loutish violence, and whatever the "significant emotional distress" - to use his lawyer's words - suffered since by Mr. Sullivan, who was age 47, after all, not 17, it is surely not worse than that inflicted on his victim.

As the band performed one of its hits, (What's The Story) Morning Glory, Mr. Gallagher was shoved violently from behind, collapsing into monitor speakers. He was left with three broken ribs and pain from which he still suffers from time to time. In a victim impact statement, Mr. Gallagher said it was akin to being "hit by a bus." The band was forced to cancel several concerts and television appearances, affecting the promotion of a new album.

A video of the attack posted on YouTube received a mass audience, and Mr. Sullivan gained a certain notoriety. He has pleaded guilty, and is a first-time offender, which should be weighed in the judge's decision. But the conditional sentence requested by Mr. Sullivan's lawyer is insufficient, and might encourage others to follow in his path.

Despite the best efforts of crowd control and the presence of security personnel, performers are in a particularly exposed and vulnerable position. A jail sentence, even less than the six to eight months sought by the Crown, would send an important message.

Roger Daltrey is stunned by the success of his annual cancer charity gigs in the U.K. - because the star was convinced he'd have to cancel the residency at London's Royal Albert Hall after just two years.

The Who rocker founded the Teenage Cancer Trust concert series in 2000, and has played with his band on four different occasions, as well as signing up stars including Noel Gallagher, Ronnie Wood and Chris Martin to perform.

And Daltrey admits he's shocked the shows have remained so popular.

He tells Britain's Daily Star, "I'm amazed. It seems like yesterday that we started. I wanted to do something about the problem that teenage cancer sufferers have and I was determined to stick with it.

"Straight away we booked the hall for 12 years - you had to book it well in advance to be able to get it for the same week every year. We thought we could cancel it after two years, but go on as long as we thought we were able.

"Here we are, 10 years later, and I'm amazed at the support I've had from the music and comedy industry."

Liam: Feel a lot better than I was yesterday. Yesterday I looked and I felt like I was a vampire man. Wasn’t to well. Throwing up a lot. Still a little bit dodgy but other than that I feel good man.I hope it wasn’t a hot dog from JFK? I heard they gave you a bit of trouble out there, an extra wait of some kind when you flew in?

Nah Nah, I signed a wrong piece of paper.

A wrong piece of paper?

I’ve got a visa to come here. I don’t know…what was it Steve?

(Pretty Green’s CEO Steve Allen explains that it was just an immigrations officer doing his job and that they had to fill out a form again.)

(Grins) Considering I can’t write it took me a long time to fill it out - it took me all day.

Well I hope they treated you OK? They can get a bit uptight sometimes?

Nah, they were good, it was alright.

So you’re in New York to promote Pretty Green? As of today US residents can purchase your items using US currency in your online store, right?

(Steve jumps in and explains that all items are priced in US Dollars with no Import Taxes. The Items are distributed from the UK and delivery normally will take around 3 days.)

Did you talk to any New York department stores about carrying your line of clothing?

Our people back in the UK have been doing that and there is a store in New York, ‘Any Old Iron’, who will be the first store to sell our line starting in the fall.

Where you not interested in one of the bigger stores such as Barneys?

Oh yeah, I like Barneys but I heard it’s not so good at the moment. I’m easy I’ll put it anywhere. I’m not that precious about where it goes, you know what I mean? The main thing is to try to get our own little store, our own little shop out here at some point, if all goes well.

You already have your own stores planned elsewhere though?

We’re looking at a place in London - and Tokyo would be a good place because we have a bit of a fan base out there as a lot of people are buying from out there. Definitely New York, if you do one out there you got to do one in New York, yeah?

Absolutely.

So as you’ve said before you are not trying to reinvent the wheel here with your line. It’s a priority for you that this is a top quality product.

Liam Gallagher was in town last week, and the city is still standing. No hotel rooms got brutalized. No pub brawls got started. The Guinness taps have not run dry. In fact, one of rock music’s most legendary bad boys seems distinctively less naughty these days. It’s probably been months since he’s punched anyone out.

To journalists at least, the former Oasis frontman is surprisingly soft-spoken and polite. He’s even a bit shy. His humble demands for a photo shoot include water, a sandwich and air conditioning — but only if it’s hot out. He’s kind to a small dog wandering around. Most horrifying of all, he takes pride in being punctual.

Oasis disbanded last August when older brother Noel left following yet another epic sibling squabble. Liam insists the group is done, though he continues to work on music with the remaining members.

In the meantime, the singer’s latest endeavor is a clothing line called Pretty Green, featuring menswear of his own design. The collection launched in the UK last June, and just became available stateside via mail order at prettygreen.com.

The line originally began with a pair of shoes.

“I’m into suede shoes,” Gallagher says. “Shoes have been going a bit pointy. I really wanted to make shoes like a desert boot.”

The first pieces were all black or white — “pretty mod, man,” he says — but for spring, the line has broadened to include colorful polo shirts and logoed tees, checked button-downs and a selection of baggy, knee-length jackets that are instantly recognizable to Oasis fans.

“I don’t know anything about fashion. I don’t want to know anything about fashion,” Gallagher says. “I haven’t got a favorite designer or anything like that. I like what I like, you know what I mean?”

The line was created in conjunction with British tailor Nick Holland, from whom Gallagher has previously bought suits after being introduced through friends. The idea is to produce simple, high-quality wardrobe staples — nothing too Jean Paul Gaultier.

Gallagher, 37, says he’s been into clothes since he was a teenager, mainly to impress girls. Back then, his fashion statements involved Sergio Tacchini track suits. Even after Oasis became the biggest band in the world, Gallagher says he always wore his own clothes onstage and in public. He detests fussy looks, and once took a shot at bands that employed stylists, saying, “U2? There’s no way you bought that jacket is there, Bono? Coldplay, they’re at it too.”

His hope for Pretty Green, he says, is for it to have its “own legs, not just Oasis fans behind it.”

He’s also hoping to move to New York. He and his wife, singer Nicole Appleton — who split time between London and a country house in Henley-on-Thames — are shopping for an apartment near Central Park. They’ve seen three, though none big enough.

Gallagher says he loves Central Park and often goes jogging there incognito in a hat pulled low.

One thing he doesn’t like in New York: the club scene.

“I’m done with that,” he says. “They don’t even play the type of music I like anyway, so what’s the point? It’s all f - - - ing techno s - - -. I go to see bands. Go out for a bite to eat. Don’t do too much.”

What he mainly likes to do is spend time with his family, including a dachshund, his and Appleton’s 8-year-old son Gene, and 10-year-old son Lennon, whose mother is Gallagher’s ex-wife Patsy Kensit.

He takes the kids to the movies (they enjoyed “Avatar”) and later this month, he’s treating them to a week at Disneyland.

This hardly sounds like the same man who was banned from Cathay Pacific in 1998 for drunkenly smoking and swearing on a flight, or the man who got his front teeth knocked out in a 2002 Munich bar fight, or who was busted with cocaine on a London street back in the ’90s.

He says he gave up drugs for good last November for his children’s sake.

“It doesn’t work with kids, man. You wake up the next day after a session and you’re looking for bits of your kids’ homework and football boots. You’re all over the place. It’s rubbish,” he told the Daily Express.

He’s also particularly focused on the forthcoming album with the Band Formerly Known as Oasis, with whom he’s spending four days a week in the studio. (Gallagher says the band doesn’t yet have a name.)

“It takes more than a little man called Noel to pull the mat from underneath me,” he says, taking a cheeky shot at his brother.

“I make music,” he says. “I can either sit at home and do f - - - all, which is no good for the soul, or I can do what I like to do, which is making music and being involved with this.”

The new tunes are expected to be recorded over the summer, with a single released around October and the full album in 2011.

“It sounds like Oasis, Beatles-esque,” he says. “There’s a lot of energy. It sounds psychedelic, but when it’s rocking, it’s rocking.”

I love Noel Gallagher. The Oasis rocker prepared for his Teenage Cancer Trust gig this week with a 25-minute rehearsal in a choir singer's Kitchen.

Noel, 42, performed with the Crouch End Festival Chorus at the Royal Albert Hall on Thursday and Friday. But first he did some fine tuning at a female chorist's North London pad. I'm told: "Noel went there to try out arrangements. He sat playing her guitar in the kitchen which was great."

27 March 2010

Since leaving Oasis seven months ago, everybody's been wondering what music Noel Gallagher will make for his first album.

Will he follow his mate Paul Weller in making traditional rock 'n' roll? Or, as the favourite gossip has it, is Noel going to start experimenting and make a far-out record miles away from Oasis?

Whichever route he's taking, Noel's giving no clues at his first show since the split. He's played solo gigs for the Teenage Cancer Trust before. Indeed, this one has the same setlist as his previous show in 2008. Although, as Noel points out, "I am wearing different clothes."

His backing band is the same too, with Oasis touring musicians Jay Darlington on keyboards and percussionist Terry Kirkbride - plus, most intriguingly, Gem Archer on guitar.

As everyone assumed Gem had chosen to stick with Liam's new band, he may now be the UN peacekeeping negotiator between the Gallaghers.

That familiar setlist means it's as comfortable a return to performing for Noel as possible. He gets to do a show he could play standing on his head while the fans, who would usually have had to watch Noel from the back of a vast stadium, get to sing along to Wonderwall, Slide Away and co in relative intimacy.

And, boy, do the fans relish the chance to bellow every word back at Noel, even on what should be obscure songs like Listen Up and Sad Song. The Albert Hall is the home of classical music but it's transformed into a rowdy Last Night Of The Britpop Proms.

Noel is backed by the 50-member Crouch End Choir, who may as well have stayed at home as their choral tones are inaudible over the fans' singing.

On a stool with his acoustic guitar, Noel laughs off requests for new songs, saying: "They're f***ing amazing, but this isn't the time and place."

Maybe, but of the 17 songs he plays, just one - 2005 hit The Importance Of Being Idle - isn't from Oasis' first two albums or their B-sides.

That could be the most telling sign of how unhappy Noel became in Oasis - or a hint that he wants to go back to his ballad-writing roots.

The show may be familiar - but as the 5,000 fans scream out Don't Look Back In Anger - that's certainly no bad thing.

Liam Gallagher has revealed that David Bowie and T-Rex have inspired his new post-Oasis album.

The singer told New York radio station RXP that his new group – featuring former bandmates Andy Bell, Gem Archer and Chris Sharrock – are aiming to head into the studio next month with a view to completing the record in June before releasing it the following summer.

"Andy and Gem are on fire at the moment," he enthused. "There's a bit of T-Rex and Bowie on there, I’m telling you there's a good mix of psychedelia but there’s some good rock 'n' roll tunes on there [as well].

"We're going to record halfway through April, we've got three weeks to do some tunes and if it's all cool we'll go back in June and finish it off. I'd like to have tune out in October and then put another one out after Christmas and then the album in the summer."

Although he has had several public digs at his brother Noel, who also had his first jovial pop at his younger sibling at his second Teenage Cancer Trust gig at the Royal Albert Hall last night (March 26), he did admit that the pair's new material will be "an exciting time for music".

"He'll go and do his thing and we'll go and do our thing and it'll be an exciting time for music not just in England but worldwide," he said.

But he still had the last word adding: "Noel's record will be good and ours will be better."

The singer said that they still haven't spoken since Noel quit the band last August but he admitted that they "will at some point".

He also revealed that a new Oasis singles collection will be released in the near future and he criticised the UK music scene.

"There's a few good bands but there's a lot of bands just making fast food music," he said. "It's not digesting well, they're not making albums. You hear a good tune on the radio and go out and buy it and its not all that."

Elsewhere in the interview, Liam explained his recent comments about U2 and Coldplay's dress sense and he joked they should go out and buy his own clothing range Pretty Green, which he is currently promoting in the US.

"I've met Bono before and he's a geeser but someone asked me about fashion and you can see a lot of bands are styled like Coldplay and you know they don't buy their own clothes and you should, you should buy Pretty Green.

He added: "Coldplay are alright but they don’t do it for me that much, they're not rock 'n' roll enough man. They live all around the corner from me so I don’t want to say too much in case they come round and give me a paper cut."

As part of the Pretty Green $USD launch, Liam has travelled to New York to talk about fashion and his lifelong love of classic British style with radio shows and newspapers.

As well as enjoying New York City, Liam was a guest on 1019RXP to talk about the inspiration behind Pretty Green and how decades of being a rock n’ roll style icon brought about the Pretty Green collection. You can view the interview at 1019rxp.com, or on Youtube - Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

The new Pretty Green website is now live and, as well as introducing a range of new products, US style fans can now shop in US dollars.

We’ll have more news from Liam’s trip to New York including the upcoming coverage of Liam and Pretty Green in the New York Times Style Section, New York Post, Nylon Guys, Blackbook and T.

Noel Gallagher played his second post-Oasis solo show tonight (March 26), mocking his ex-bandmate and brother Liam during his London Royal Albert Hall gig for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

The singer/guitarist played the same set he played the previous night at the venue, taking a pop at the fashion interest of his brother, Liam, who runs the Pretty Green clothes label after performing 'Cast No Shadow'.

Responding to shouts from a fan he said, "For the record that guy said, 'Where's Liam?'. He's probably being a real northerner somewhere designing the perfect desert boot."

Before the set started The Who's Roger Daltrey, who curates the Teenage Cancer Trust gigs, had given an introduction in which he explained how he'd invited Liam to help his band perform 'Quadrophenia' with them next week at the venue.

"I couldn't think of anyone better to play [character] Ace Face," he told the audience before making way for Noel. "I called him up but he said, 'I can't, I'm doing something far more important. I'm going to Disneyland with my children'."

As he had been last night, Noel was joined by his ex-Oasis bandmate Gem Archer on guitar plus Oasis' former live keyboard player Jay Darlington. An eight-piece all-female orchestra joined the set-up shortly into the gig as did the 50-strong Crouch End Choir.

With the set heavy on songs from the early parts of Oasis career and berefit of new material, Noel dedicated 'Slide Away' to his girlfriend Sara MacDonald. He dedicated 'Digsy's Dinner' to a particularly vocal crowd member who he found out was named Dave. Dave, stood near the front row, briefly earned cheers as he danced following the dedication before Noel said, "Are you done now?". He added, "Every note for you," as the song ended. "Every fucking note for you."

Following 'Whatever' he closed the show with an encore comprising 'The Masterplan', 'Married With Children' and 'Don't Look Back In Anger'.

"Thanks for supporting the charity for the past ten years," he said before leading cheers for his band, the choir and orchestra.

Noel Gallager played:

'(It's Good) To Be Free''Talk Tonight''Fade Away''Cast No Shadow''Half The World Away''Don't Go Away''The Importance Of Being Idle''Listen Up''Sad Song''Wonderwall''Rockin' Chair''Slide Away''Digsy's Dinner''Whatever''The Masterplan''Married With Children''Don't Look Back In Anger'

Liam has been named the Greatest Frontman Of All Time by readers of Q Magazine. No argument from us.

When he's on stage, he commands your attention whether it be snarling out every word with limitless passion or challenging the audience to a staring out match (which he always wins!). His trademark stance - leaning up towards the mic, arms behind his back - is known the world over and has become iconic in its own right. And we literally have no idea how many tambourines he's got through over the years!

But all of this takes a backseat when it comes to the music. Put simply, he has one of the most distinctive and powerful voices in rock and roll.

We have our favourite performances of his and we're sure you have yours too so why not crank them up and raise a glass to him!

To celebrate him winning the poll we have a signed tambourine by the man himself. To be in with a chance of winning it, click HERE!

Noel Gallagher performed his first post-Oasis solo show as part of the Teenage Cancer Trust series at London's Royal Albert Hall last night.

Flanked by former bandmate Gem Archer and keyboardist Jay Darlington for much of the show, together with the Crouch End Festival Chorus and Wired String, the 42-year-old rolled out a 17-song set consisting entirely of Oasis classics.

Somewhat aptly, following a brief “hello” from Noel, the first track of the night was 1994 'Whatever' b-side '(It's Good) To Be Free'.

After third track 'Fade Away', Noel quipped to the sell-out "Behave. JLS was last night wasn't it?!"

In jovial spirits he even took time the take a swipe at a Liverpudlian in the crowd requesting new tracks.

“We're not playing any new songs”, he told the punter. "As brilliant as they are, now is not the right time or place. Are you an American? Oh, you're from Liverpool? Try and be American, it's better than being a f***ing scouser."

After the crowd member shouted out for 'Rockin' Chair', the track correctly next in his set, Noel joked again: “Did you rob one? Come on.”

After rolling out more classics in the shape of 'The Masterplan' and 'Whatever', Noel culminated with a rousing 'Don't Look Back In Anger'.

Looking delighted, he told the crowd: “It's been a pleasure. Thank you for coming along to support the charity.”

Noel Gallagher stuck to familiar material at his first show since Oasis split - but promised that "brilliant" solo songs are on their way.

Despite speculation about his solo plans, he declined to play new songs at the first of two shows at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

He told the crowd that the gig, in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust, was "not the right time or right place".

Instead, he rolled out 17 Oasis tracks - 16 of which dated from the 1990s.

The sight of men in their 30s with arms outstretched, baring their souls as well as their paunches to the stage, is one that Noel Gallagher must be used to by now.

That emotional salute and surrender was a common sight up and down the tiers and around the edges of the Albert Hall, and became more frequent as this gig unfolded.

Another commonly-viewed phenomenon was the number of blokes (and some women) with arms around each other's shoulders, or beers aloft in approval, or bouncing up and down while singing their hearts out - some doing all of the above.

The fact that Noel did not avail us of any of new material, or even play more than one track from the last 12 years, did not matter.

In fact, it was a good thing because it meant he could focus on material from the inspired and prolific songwriting patch he enjoyed in the mid-1990s.

So the crowd sang along in full voice to almost every song - they saluted, bounced and swayed as Noel strummed along to Wonderwall, Don't Look Back In Anger and Whatever.

Many instinctively knew every word to 15-year-old B-sides like The Masterplan, Half The World Away, Fade Away or Talk Tonight.

Noel brought the 50-strong Crouch End Choir to back him up - but he need not have bothered because they were totally drowned out by the enthusiasm of the crowd.

And as well as the singing, football-style chants of his name occasionally erupted on the Royal Albert Hall's terraces.

The reason for this level of involvement and devotion is that Noel's best songs make a primal connection with the listener, without them ever really being able to figure out why.

In those songs, he tapped into themes like romantic idealism, nagging insecurity, vanishing youth, domestic drama, dreams of escapism.

All of which struck a chord with his fans somewhere deep down, despite the fact that, if you actually listened to them, his lyrics did not make very much sense at all.

For Thursday's gig, rooted to his stool and strapped to his acoustic guitar, he picked the songs that suited the unplugged setting and his sensitive nature.

His partnership with brother Liam in Oasis was always one of ying and yang, where he would take on the more thoughtful material and Liam would be the macho, arrogant and tenacious one.Diplomatic silence

That means there were lots of Oasis songs that Noel did not, and probably would not, touch in a solo set. He steered clear of the bombast of tracks like Live Forever, Supersonic and Morning Glory, even if he wrote them.

Liam was not mentioned tonight. Despite being goaded by his estranged sibling - most notably at the Brit Awards - Noel is wise enough to be more diplomatic.

There were also no big-name special guests. Last time he played here, doing a very similar set for the same cause in 2007, he was joined by Paul Weller.

He was aided this time, though, by his former Oasis bandmate Gem Archer on guitar.

Gem had been rumoured to be in Liam's new band, so whether this means he has switched sides, or just stayed neutral, remains to be seen.

Tonight's gig was a rousing trip down memory lane, but the question still remains - what next for Noel? And, more to the point, will it compare to his past masterpieces?

25 March 2010

Noel Gallager played his first post-Oasis gig tonight (March 25), headlining the Royal Albert Hall in London for a Teenage Cancer Trust show.

The singer/guitarist, set to play a second gig at the venue tomorrow, played songs from his Oasis back catalogue including several b-sides. He refrained from playing new material despite calls from some fans to do so.

His former Oasis bandmate, guitarist Gem Archer, performed with him throughout the set. Jay Darlington, Oasis' former live keyboard player, also played for much of the show, along with a drummer playing a minimal kit and percussion. They were backed up by an eight-piece all-female orchestra and the Crouch End Choir for many songs.

Following a support slot from The Courteeners, Gallagher and his band arrived on stage at 9pm (GMT). He greeted the crowd with a brief "Hello" and opened with '(It's Good) To Be Free' - the b-side to Oasis' 1994 single 'Whatever', which was played later in the set.

He followed with another b-side, 'Talk Tonight' (the flipside to 1995 single 'Some Might Say'), then responded to a crowd member's shout for new material. "Play a new song?" he said. "No, we don't do new songs for charity."

After 'Fade Away' he adjusted his shirt and quipped, "Behave - JLS was last night, wasn't it?" He then introduced the Crouch End Choir, who performed 'Cast No Shadow' with the band.

Following 'Don't Go Away' he pointed out, "I don't know if you've noticed - this is exactly the same set I played two years ago. But it's OK - I'm wearing different clothes." He was actually referring to his Teenage Cancer Trust show in 2007.

'Listen Up' came soon afterwards, Gallagher responding to another request for new songs and ribbing a crowd member after finishing it.

"We've already gone through that - we're not playing new songs," he said following shouts from one fan. "As fucking brilliant as they are, now's not the right time or place. Are you American? You're from Liverpool? Try and be American - it's better than being a fucking scouser."

'Sad Song', b-side to 1994 single 'Cigarettes And Alcohol', was up next then crowd favourite 'Wonderwall'. The fan Gallagher had bantered with earlier then shouted for b-side 'Rockin' Chair' - flip-side to 1995 single 'Roll With It'. "Had you seen the setlist before we came on?" he joked before playing the song. "Did you nick one? Come on, did you rob one?"

Nearer the end of the set he dedicated 'Digsy's Dinner' to The Courteeners, although he said, "Unfortunately they come from the red side of Manchester."

'Whatever' closed the main set before he encored with 'The Masterplan', 'Married With Children' and closer 'Don't Look Back In Anger'.

"It's been a pleasure to play for you tonight," Gallagher said before leaving the stage. "Thank you for coming along and supporting the charity. We'll meet again."

Noel Gallager played:

'(It's Good) To Be Free''Talk Tonight''Fade Away''Cast No Shadow''Half The World Away''Don't Go Away''The Importance Of Being Idle''Listen Up''Sad Song''Wonderwall''Rockin' Chair''Slide Away''Digsy's Dinner''Whatever''The Masteplan''Married With Children''Don't Look Back In Anger'

The new Pretty Green website is live and, as well as introducing the latest garments in our Green Label and Black Label collections, it is now even easier to shop worldwide with the introduction of four currencies; US Dollar, Yen, Euro and Pound Sterling.

Pretty Green customers can choose their currency by clicking on the relevant flag in the top right hand corner of the site so, whether it’s a Pique Polo in Paris or a Crew Neck Tee in Chicago, the new Pretty Green website will display all prices in your chosen currency.

Alongside the new currency options, Pretty Green is also proud to introduce new garments in both our Green Label and Black Label collections including the highly collectible Camo Parka. A reinvention of a culturally iconic garment, the Pretty Green Camo Parka is a stand-alone piece of classic British fashion and, with its beautiful cut and desert camo print, an integral part of the new Black Label collection.

We’ve also launched the new sky/cream and purple/green colourway Crew Neck Tees, black Pique Polo and two-button Grandad in the Green Label and our five-button Grandad in the Black Label collection.

Damon Albarn did an interview with Triple J radio discussing the new Gorillaz album.

In it he mentions members of the live band including a person named Jeff who will be in Liam Gallaghers 's new band according to Damon.

This Jeff is apparently Jeff Wootton as he is the only Geoff that is listed for playing with the live Gorillaz band.

Here is a snippet from the interview

TD: Cool. That's great. Marina [sic] Topley-Bird, in the studio. And behind that door you've got half of The Clash, and you've got a Verve [sic], and you've got various other people in the studio...DA: No, We haven't got a Verve at the moment. He's coming back. But we have a young lad called Jeff, who, funnily enough is also in Liam's new band.TD: Liam from Oasis?DA: Yes.TD: What are they called, sorry?DA: I don't know if they've got a name yet. But I just thought that was kind of funny.TD: Yeah! There you go. Well, if this was like 15 years ago NME would be going crazy over about it, I'd imagine.DA: Yeah [laughs]

Spring has sprung... and the icy relationship between Liam and Noel Gallagher is showing signs of thawing.

Liam has said some nasty things about his older brother - before and after last year's bitter Oasis split.

But the mouthy Mancunian rocker could be mellowing in his old age - because he actually sings Noel's praises in a new interview.

Asked who was his ultimate frontman, he said: "Noel Gallagher. What makes a good frontman? Behaving yourself, and not jumping around like a b******."

Blimey. We thought hell would freeze over before we heard Liam say anything nice about his brother again.

Perhaps he felt a surge of emotion after poor old Noel had to relive the hellish ordeal of a thug pushing him off the stage during the band's gig in Toronto in 2008.

A court heard on Tuesday how Noel, 42, recalled how he felt like he was "hit by a bus" when he broke three ribs after he was shoved by a Brit fan.

He said in a statement how the pain remained for eight months.

He said: "I have been told that I will never really recover from the damage and still feel the painful twinges.

"The emotional impact it had was essentially coping with the pressure to perform so as not to let the band down."

Ah bless. Now that's got to pull at the heartstrings of even a tough guy like Liam.

Although normal service is resumed when Our Kid quickly turns the attention back to himself in his interview with Q magazine, out on March 28. He boasts: "There's Elvis, then there's me. I couldn't say which of the two is best."

Now that's more like the Liam we know - and sometimes love.

Fans were devastated when Noel quit the band last August. Since then, Liam threw their 'Brit Awards album of 30 years' gong into the crowd at the ceremony in February.

Noel later did an impression of Liam in front of photographers saying in a girlie voice: "Ohh look, I've dropped my microphone."

Oasis legend Noel Gallagher is to be a dad again, The Sun can reveal - and pals reckon the tot could be named after Nelson Mandela.

They believe the rocker got girlfriend Sara Macdonald pregnant in South Africa - and jokingly suggested calling the baby after the country's ex-president.

Tribute ... Nelson MandelaNoel, 42, told friends he was "thrilled to bits" after Sara, 38, had her three-month scan this week confirming the pregnancy.

They already have two-year-old son Donovan.

A source said: "Noel and Sara are over the moon. They're so happy that Donovan will have a little partner in crime to play with. Their family is complete.

"Their pals have been joking that Nelson is a frontrunner on names as they think the baby was conceived on a holiday to South Africa."

Noel and publicist Sara have been together for ten years and have homes in central London and Chalfont St Giles, Bucks.

The source added: "Noel has been up to his eyes rehearsing for gigs recently and Sara has had her hands full because the family are moving house in London. The news has given them both something to smile about."

Noel - who has a daughter Anais, ten, from a previous relationship - has been taking a break from the limelight since Oasis split last summer.

But the guitarist, famous for hits including Wonderwall and Live Forever, is playing solo shows at the Royal Albert Hall tonight and tomorrow to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

23 March 2010

At a sentencing hearing this morning for Daniel Sullivan, the 48-year-old Pickering contractor who pleaded guilty to assault for shoving Oasis singer Noel Gallagher at a Toronto Island concert, the Crown read out Mr. Gallagher's victim impact statement. The full text is reprinted below. Mr. Sullivan's sentencing was ultimately held over until April 21.

Noel Gallagher's victim impact statement

I am a singer and lead guitarist of the band Oasis. On 7 July 2008 Oasis were headlining at the V Festival in Toronto Canada when I was assaulted on stage by a stage invader. I was in the middle of one of the songs. I would describe the sudden impact and shock as feeling as if I had been hit by a bus. I ended up in a heap on the floor and the band stopped playing. I fell on to the monitors which are wedge shaped speakers. I had no idea what had happened. I was picked up by a member of the road crew and taken to the side of the stage. During this time I experienced a pain to my left side. Initially paramedics treated me on stage. There was 40 minutes left of the set. I was in shock but I decided to go back on stage. At that point, perhaps because of the adrenalin, I did not fully appreciate the severity of the injury I had sustained. After a few more songs I experienced difficulty breathing and felt further acute pain. I left the stage and was taken to hospital. At hospital I was x-rayed and the diagnosis, which turned out to be incomplete, was internal bruising of the ribs. It was thought that I would be better in a couple of days. The next performance in London, Ontario on the 9th September was cancelled and I spent a day in bed taking pain killers. We drove to New York for the band's next performance on the 12th September. In New York, on 9 September 2008 I found it difficult to move and I was in acute pain in spite of the painkillers. We decided to cancel the New York show which was scheduled to take place at the Terminal 5 club. This was also scheduled to be filmed for television broadcast which had to be cancelled along with important promotion work for our new album.

I flew back to London and went to see a chiropractor who sent me for a further x-ray at the London Clinic. I was told that I had 3 broken ribs on the left side of my back. I was informed by the doctor that the ribs had broken as a result of the push in my back and not the fall. The initial pain I had experienced was as a result of bruising to the front ribs when I fell on to the monitors. I was prescribed further pain killers but effectively told to grin and bear it for a minimum of 8 weeks. In spite of the pain killers I continued to be in serious pain for about 3 months during which time I saw a physiotherapist 3 times a week. I remained in some degree of pain for a total period of 8 months.

On my return to England from New York we were scheduled to start the British part of the band's tour. However, I was unable to perform without pain killers to adapt my performance to accommodate the pain.

As a result of the injury the band had to cancel a show in London Ontario on 9 September, the Terminal 5 performance in New York on 12 September, (a filmed show for television and a large promotional event). In the UK following the full and correct diagnosis three media concerts had to be cancelled, one on 27 September (a live performance at the Eden Project in Cornwall which was to be transmitted worldwide by MTV), one on 29 September, (a live show in Cologne, Germany, to be transmitted on radio throughout Europe), and on 30 September a live TV show in Paris for Canal Plus. The band also had to cancel a 2 October appearance on the Jonathan Ross TV show, an important promotional appearance, as well as a performance on the television show "Later with Jools Holland". The promotional work in connection with the launch of the new album was very important to its success and early sales momentum. This opportunity was lost.

I have been told that I will never really recover from the damage to my ribs and from time to time I still feel painful twinges. The emotional impact it had on me was essentially coping with the pressure to perform so as not to let the band down. This has never happened to me before. For a considerable period of time I was only operating at 50% of my capabilities and this naturally spoilt the enjoyment of the tour.

This month the poll in the right side menu is to find the best track from Oasis' Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants, that's only just celebrated it's 10th birthday.

01: Fuckin' In The Bushes02: Go Let It Out03: Who Feels Love?04: Put Yer Money Where Yer Mouth Is05: Little James06: Gas Panic!07: Where Did It All Go Wrong?08: Sunday Morning Call09: I Can See A Liar10: Roll It Over

A high-profile choir that is the first choice of rock stars looking for some extra oomph has bagged another celebrity invite - from Oasis legend Noel Gallagher.

The Crouch End Festival Chorus is set to join the Mancunian rocker on stage for his solo shows at the Royal Albert Hall on Thursday and on Friday in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Noel has been a fan of the symphony chorus for some time, describing them as "f***ing mindblowing" in Time Out and having them as backing for Oasis at their BBC Electric Proms gig at The Roundhouse in October 2008. Noel's shows form part of a 10-night extravaganza for the charity, celebrating a decade of the successful annual event.

David Temple, CEFC's musical director, said: "We are thrilled to be working with Noel Gallagher again and also to be involved with the Teenage Cancer Trust. Our Electric Prom appearance with Oasis was a wonderful occasion and so it is brilliant to be asked back by Noel."

The rocker was spotted in Crouch End last Thursday, as the live dates drew closer. Comedian Mark Watson wrote on social networking site Twitter: "Just seen Noel Gallagher in Crouch End. I've already got Albarn and Cocker so that's the full set."

The chorus recorded an album last year with Muswell Hill's Ray Davies, of The Kinks, have a Grammy nominated record with Kate Royal, and featured prominently in the Doctor Who TV specials at Christmas.

The chorus will also join composer and patron Ennio Morricone at the Royal Albert Hall on April 10 performing some of his classic film tracks.